


Promises

by Halvwyn



Series: Life of the Party Ficlets and Fics [14]
Category: Life of the Party D&D (Web Series)
Genre: Angst, Angst and Feels, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Character Death, Character Study, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, F/M, Family Feels, Feels, Found Family, Friendship, Goodbyes, Hurt/Comfort, Light Angst, Love and Loss, M/M, Married Couple, Post-Canon, Snapshots, Wakes & Funerals, soft, soft angst
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-07
Updated: 2020-04-07
Packaged: 2021-03-01 21:53:58
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,467
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23534131
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Halvwyn/pseuds/Halvwyn
Summary: The conversations were exhausting, words quiet and voices choked more often than not. In the end, though, they knew. They knew how each of the party wanted to be honored, remembered, should the worst come to pass. There was a comfort, in knowing what to do; there was a joy in never having to.They lived to tell tales of their adventures, to see goals achieved and families united. Over the years, they watched as their lives began to branch off onto different paths once more: some marrying off, starting their next adventure in hand with another; others continuing their adventures on their own, only returning for reunions and large events over the years.It shouldn’t have been as much of a shock as it was when the letters arrived, decades after their adventures had ended, when the first of their family passed on, but it was.
Relationships: Boblem & Sariel (Life of the Party), Cassian & Boblem & Sariel (Life of the Party), Cassian/Renard (Life of the Party), Sariel/Theun du Argentfort (Life of the Party)
Series: Life of the Party Ficlets and Fics [14]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1681585
Comments: 7
Kudos: 18





	Promises

**Author's Note:**

> Hello, lovelies! This is a publishing of the Bluesday content I posted throughout the the day on the LOTP discord server.  
> Thank you to who gave me the prompt for this piece: "The funerals. How the party wanted to be buried, and their friends doing that, and the group slowly getting smaller as lifespans naturally end. Focus on the funeral, though, not the death itself"  
> Some lore notes for this fic at the end to prevent spoilers!
> 
> A huge shout out to the LOTP discord for putting up with me posting this throughout the day to get a feel for how the fic was going! You're all saints for putting up with me :)

They started thinking about it--in earnest, as least--after the ball. Vanden had come back to them, a ball of fire and fury when they thought they had lost him forever. Once the fighting was over, however, once they made their way to the barracks, aching and bloodied, the thought of  _ but what if he hadn’t _ was a silent weight hanging above them. What would they have done, if Vanden hadn’t come back?

The questions grew from there. What would Astra have wanted, if Boblem hadn’t finished that potion of healing in time? What would they have done if the mummy’s curse had taken Vanden and Elyse both? What were they to do if one of their family fell and didn’t get back up again?

The conversations were exhausting, words quiet and voices choked more often than not. In the end, though, they knew. They knew how each of the party wanted to be honored, remembered, should the worst come to pass. There was a comfort, in knowing what to do; there was a joy in never having to.

They lived to tell tales of their adventures, to see goals achieved and families united. Over the years, they watched as their lives began to branch off onto different paths once more: some marrying off, starting their next adventure in hand with another; others continuing their adventures on their own, only returning for reunions and large events over the years.

It shouldn’t have been as much of a shock as it was when the letters arrived, decades after their adventures had ended, when the first of their family passed on, but it was.

* * *

It was fitting, that the day the first of Elyse’s ashes were scattered, it was on the precipice of a storm. There was a buzzing of electricity humming against their skin as the party stood alongside her surviving friends and family. 

There was no question when it came to whether she wanted to be buried or burned. Trapping Elyse in the ground when her life had been the sky was an unthinkable concept to anyone who knew her. And they did.

Vanden spoke first, eyes glued to the urn sitting in front of the group of mourners,“Life with Elyse by our side was never boring,” he paused as a wave of agreeing laughs and murmurs washed over the group, “whether it was a new aritfact to research or a new place to visit, she was  _ always  _ pushing towards knowing  _ more.... _ She wasn’t the best at talking, none of us are to be honest, but she was there when we needed her. Elyse was  _ family _ to all of us, regardless of blood...” he fell silent for a long moment, no one moved to disrupt it.

Eventually, after friends and family alike had the chance to say their final words, it was Xander who opened the urn. A soft breeze had started blowing at their backs, and the half-elf smiled slightly, “Well, Elyse, let’s get this started, shall we?” he murmured softly as if the woman could still hear him, before taking a handful of her ashes and releasing them into the wind. They watched as the cloud dissipated, swept by the winds into the impending storm until there was nothing left to watch.

Before leaving the spot, each of them took a handful of her ashes, tucking it into small pouches. Elyse was a traveler, a child of the open sky. As each of the people gathered around to honor her life went their separate ways, her ashes were scattered where they went-- Mirrortail, Riven, a farm that no one quite knew how to find, Ospeia-- and on those different winds and under those different skies, even in death, Elyse was free.

* * *

Astra’s celebration of life was peaceful, voices soft and smiles softer. The late spring breeze was warm against their skin as the party, now four, sat and talked amongst Astra’s siblings. In their conversations, all those decades ago, the tiefling had been insistent that he didn’t want them to linger on his death, that he wanted them to remember how he lived. 

And so there was music, at his family home in the Riveni Forest, as they sat together drinks in hand. Astra’s siblings smiled into their cups, sharing stories from their brother’s childhood in exchange for his friends’ tales of their adventures. The stories were winding down, and a glance out the window showed that the sun was as well, when Boblem stood with a small smile. “Should we head over? Don’t wanna keep him waiting to long, ya know?”

With a round of hummed agreements, Astra’s friends and family found themselves making their way outside and deeper into the forest, his siblings leading the way. It was a short walk from the house to where Astra was buried, the earth soft from being disturbed only a few days prior. Despite the size of the group surrounding the grave, the space was near silent, only the sounds of the forest’s wildlife being heard as they silently said their good-bye’s.

After a long moment, Sariel stepped forward, a small sapling with roots wrapped in burlap held in her hands as she approached where Astra lay. It didn’t take long for the druid to delicately unwrap the fabric, massaging the young tree’s roots before planting it into the earth at the head of the grave.

“Sapling,” a quiet laugh, her hands still resting on the dirt surrounding the freshly planted tree, “that’s what you always called me, Astra. I’ll never forget it. I will never forget  _ you _ , my dear friend. You wanted us to celebrate your life, and this was the best way we could think to do so. Because of you, this tree will grow. You will be remembered not only by us, but by the earth, by this sapling as it grows. Thank you, for everything, Astra.” 

Dusting off her hands on her skirts as she stood, Sariel returned to the party, accepting a gentle hug from her fellow druid as they stood side by side. Quiet Sylvan began to fill the air, the song achingly familiar to those who listened, as Lunette softly sang. Around them, the forest seemed to hum, echoing the melody back until it once more faded to quiet. As the music faded, the group stepped back and away, heading back down the path they came.

* * *

Cassian wasn’t sure how long he had been staring. It may have been minutes, maybe hours. He wasn’t sure it mattered. Soft footsteps came from behind him, familiar after over a century of hearing them. He didn’t try to utter a greeting, knowing they wouldn’t expect one, instead bringing a hand to gently run through his husband’s hair, still fiery red between his fingers.

“Hey, Cassian,” a familiar voice greeted, and Cassian gave a small hum of acknowledgement, slowly withdrawing his hand and glancing over his shoulder. He was met by the gentle smiles of his two friends, both of them hardly aged despite the years that had passed. 

He offered a weak smile in return, “I would have become a druid, if I’d know it was the secret to staying this handsome forever,” his smile faltered, and before Cassian had the chance to salvage it, he found himself pulled into Boblem’s arms. They stayed like that for a long moment, only parting for Sariel to offer a brief embrace as well before stepping out of his space.

“The whole...royal funeral isn’t until tomorrow, but then he’ll be....” despite his best efforts, Cassian’s voice caught in his chest, “he’ll be laid to rest with his family in the morning. But tonight is ours to say as we wish.” Forcing out the words, Cassian slid into the nearest seat as Boblem took a step towards where Vanden was laying.

“Hey there, Vanden,” he greeted softly, “We kinda miss you already. You were a great king, but I think you were a better friend. I’m really glad I got to know you for you, and not just Renard.” Boblem paused a moment before smiling softly, “We’ll take care of Cassian for you, so don’t worry.” 

As Boblem’s voice trailed off, a gentle hand came to rest on his arm, “Can I say some words?” Nodding, Boblem stepped back before going to Cassian’s side, sitting next to him as Sariel turned her attention to the man in front of her. “I’m going to miss you dearly, brother-in-law,” she murmured, fingers brushing against his back of his hand, “I know that all those years ago, we didn’t get along, but you became one of my dearest, most trusted friends. Thank you for that. It has been an honor to know you, Vanden, and a greater one to be your sister.”

The room grew silent as Sariel returned to what remained of their party, only three now. “Boblem and I will go upstairs, give you some more time alone with him before tomorrow. We’ll be waiting for you in your apartments, alright?” The man smiled mutely, waiting to hear the click of the door shutting before he stood once more.

Reaching Vanden, Cassian leaned down, pressing a soft kiss to his forehead, “I suppose this is it,  _ mio tresoro, mio angelo,”  _ he mused softly, “I finally have to say good-bye....you made me a better man than I ever thought I could be, Vanden. I will owe that to you every day of my life. Thank you, for giving me the chance to love you, even if it wasn’t always the love you deserved. To spend the past century by your side has been the greatest adventure of my life, and I hope you’re waiting for me before you start your next one,” Cassian paused, beathing a heavy sigh before carefully brushing the hair from Vanden’s face one last time, “I love you, Vanden.”

Taking a step back, Cassian turned and headed for the door, knowing full well that his friends were on the other side, rather than in his apartments. 

* * *

The water was warm against their legs, sand warm beneath their feet and between their toes, where they stood on the beach. Cassian’s request had been simple, despite his life being anything but, wanting to be laid to rest in the ocean. It hadn’t been a request easily filled, having Mirrortail’s monarch of centuries receive a sea burial, but it had been done.

The procession was attended by nearly the whole city, being walked from the palace to the beach just as the tide had rolled in. The public ceremony had been for the people, traditional in all but its location, before he’d been laid in the small boat and sent off into the sea. The citizens of Mirrortail fell back slowly, many lingering to pay respects to the king who had led the kingdom for, to many of them, generations. As the sun began to set, however, the numbers dwindled, until the beach was all but empty.

The party, once six but now only two, stood side-by-side as they watched the surf roll in, “You’re free, my friend,” the moon maiden murmured softly, “You were a good man, Cassian, despite what you said. You loved deeply-any one of us can attest it; you took over Mirrortail’s throne and did right by the city, right by Vanden. You were a good friend, one I will always treasure. I think, my dear friend, you are the one I may miss the most. I pray that Vanden found you, wherever you are, and that you are at peace. We will carry on your banner, don’t worry about that...” Sariel’s voice trailed off as she wiped at her cheeks, damp from tears she hadn’t noticed fall.

Boblem spoke next, voice steady despite the tears flowing from his eyes, “You know, I think Sariel said a lot of it, but we’re gonna miss you, Cassian. We spent a long time together, the three of us, but I’m happy that you’re gonna be with Vanden again. I think you two deserve all the time in the world together. We’re gonna be okay here, so don’t worry about us...” Like Sariel, Boblem’s voice slowly off.

They stood silent for a long moment, taking in the view of the horizon, “I think it’s time we get back.” Sariel spoke softly, as if afraid to startle them out of the moment, “Cassian wouldn’t want us to dilly dally.” Another breath, one more look at the horizon, and the pair turned away from the water, climbing back up towards the city two of their friends had loved so dearly.

* * *

Boblem turned to his friend, the only other member of their little family left, with a soft smile. It was late, the breeze still warm in the late-summer heat. “Hey Sariel?” a soft hum from where the woman sat next to him, “Do you think they’re happy? The others.”

There was a beat of silence after Sariel hummed again, this time in thought, “I’d like to think so, that they’re up there, in the stars. Happy and together, but waiting for us to join them one day.”

“It’s been a long time since we’ve seen ‘em, hasn’t it?”

“It has, yes. A very long time.”

The silence stretched out longer this time, the pair leaning back to look up at the night sky, bathed in Sehanine’s quiet radiance while lost in thought. Druidic magic allowed for long lives, yes, nearly a thousand years so far, but with that long life came the loneliness, the loss. With that long life came Sariel watching her children and grandchildren grow old; came Boblem, who had taken comfort in that half-elves lived shorter lifetimes, outliving so many. 

“Boblem,” Sariel murmured, voice soft until she heard a sound of acknowledgement from her friend, “...I think it’s time we stopped keeping them waiting, don’t you?” The elf held her breath as she heard Boblem push himself upright, only releasing it as he stood smiling and offering a hand out to her.

“I think that’s a great idea.” 

She stood slowly, taking Boblem’s hand and glanced up at the sky with a smile, “Lady Sehanine, thank you for your gift. Thank you for granting us with the years to do all that we have, meet all those we’ve met, and love all those we loved. But now it is time to see those we have loved so dearly again, to walk with them in your field of stars, rather than on the earth under your light. Thank you, my lady, for everything.”

Finishing her final prayer, Sariel caught Boblem’s eye with a smile, tugging him towards the edge of the glen. Hand-in-hand, the pair stepped into the wood, letting themselves return to the nature that had given them everything they had.

**Author's Note:**

> Lore Notes:  
> In LOTP discord, we discussed how in Caldera, Aasimar's maintain a certain amount of youthfulness their whole lives (~160yo)  
> This is assuming that the party reaches at least level 18, in which druids' magic causes them to age 1 year for every 10 that pass.  
> In Caldera, druids can rejoin nature at the end if they so choose. I was unwilling to leave one or the other alone, so they chose this together.  
> Estimated ages:  
> Elyse(70's), Astra (80-90's), Vanden (150's), Cassian (730's), Boblem (900's), Sariel (1000's)


End file.
